GREAT INDIAN FOOD(MAHARASHTRIAN)

MAHARASHTRIAN RECIPES
Maharashtrian or Marathi food consist large variety of vegetables, fish and coconuts. Maharashatrian food is rich in ginger, garlic and lots of spices. Tomatoes, brinjals and other vegetables stuffed with masala fillings and cooked in oil till soft are very popular in Maharashtra. Cooking is mainly done in groundnut oil but it is made sure that the oil is minimum. Bharwan Baingan, Kohlapuri Rassa, Puran Poli, Aamti, Bombay Chiwda are some of the popular recipes.

AAMTI RECIPE
Ingredients:
2 cup split Moong Beans (Moong Dal) 21/2 cup Water 1 chopped Tomato (Tamatar) 3-4 sliced Green chilli (Hari mrich) Few Curry Leaves (Kari Patta) To taste Salt (Namak) 1 tsp Black Mustard seeds (Rai/Sarson) A pinch of Asafoetida (Hing) 1 tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi) 1 tsp Cumin Seed (Jeera) 21/2 cup Water 3 tblsp Vegetable oil (Vanaspati) Chopped Coriander Leaves (Dhania Patta)
How to make aamti:
Bring the daal to boil in the water and simmer until soft and mushy.
Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, as soon as they pop, add the asafoetida, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, chilies and curry leaves.
Saute for a minute and add the cooked dal.
Bring to boil and add the tomatoes, salt and coriander leaves.
Remove from the heat.
Keep it covered.
Serve hot.

KOHLAPURI RASSA RECIPE
Ingredients:
For Marinade: 2/3rd cup Curd (Dahi) / plain Yogurt 2 tsp minced Ginger (Adrak) 2 tsp minced Garlic (Lasun) 1 tsp Cayenne Powder 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi) To taste Salt (Namak) For Curry : 11/4th lb trimmed and cubed Lean Lamb 2 Onion finely chopped (Pyaj) 1 chopped Tomato (Tamatar) 3 cup grated fresh Coconut (Nariyal) 1-inch piece of Cinnamon (Tuj/Dalchini) 6 Cloves (Lavang) 8-10 crushed Black Pepper corns (Kalimirchi) 1 tsp Aniseed (Saunf) 2/3 cup Oil
How to make kohlapuri rassa:
Mix all marinade ingredients and add lamb pieces.
Stir well and set aside for 30 minutes.
Heat 2 tblsp oil in a heavy pan and add cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns and aniseed.
Saute for a minute and add onions and fry till golden and add coconut.
Saute until brown.
Add chopped tomatoes and stir and take off from the heat.
Allow to cool.
Grind the mixture in a processor.
Heat the remaining oil and add marinaded lamb pieces and marinade mixture and add little water, cover and cook until done.
Now add the grinded mixture and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Serve hot with boiled rice.

PANDHRA RASSA RECIPE
Ingredients:
1 kg skinned and cut into pieces Chicken 2 medium sized chopped finely Onion (Pyaj) 11/2 tsp Garlic Paste (Lasun Paste) 1 tsp Ginger Paste (Adrak Paste) 1/2 grated dry Coconut (Nariyal) 10 Cloves (Lavang) 1inch long piece of Cinnamon (Tuj/Dalchini) 1 1/2 tblsp Black Cumin Seed (Jeera) 3 cut into pieces dried Red Chili (Lal Mirchi) 11/2 tblsp Poppy seeds (Khuskhus) To taste Salt (Namak) 11/2 tsp Red Chili seeds 11/2 tsp Coriander Seeds (Dhania) 2 cup Coconut Milk (Nariyal Ka Doodh) 1/2 cup stirred Plain Yogurt / Curd (Dahi) 1 tblsp Raisins (Kishmish) 1 tblsp Cashewnut (Kaju) 3 tblsp Ghee / Vegetable Oil
How to make pandhra rassa:
Wash the skinned pieces of chicken properly and apply the ginger-garlic paste on them thoroughly, set aside.
Grind together dry coconut, black cumin seeds, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, red chili seeds, cardamom seeds and 8 cloves, adding a little water and keep aside.
Heat 1 tblsp oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add cinnamon, red chili pieces, cashew nuts, raisins and remaining cloves.
Stir fry till cashew nuts turn golden.
Now add chicken pieces to it and fry well.
Lower the flame and cover the pan.
Put a little water on the lid and cook till almost done.
Heat the remaining oil in a large pan and add onion.
Fry till it becomes translucent.
Add the grinded paste and stir fry and add curd and stir for two minutes.
Add the cooked chicken and 2 cups of water, and bring to boil.
Add coconut milk and stir well.
Boil only once to avoid curdling.
Serve hot with rice, pooris or roti.

PURAN POLI RECIPE
Ingredients:
450 gms Chana Dal 500 gms Sugar (Cheeni) or Jaggery (Gud) 250 gms Wheat Flour (Gehun Ka Atta) 50 gms Flour 5 tsp Oil 1/2 grated Nutmeg (Jaiphal) 50 gms powdered Cardamom (Elaichi) Pure ghee for serving
How to make puran poli:
Wash the chana daal and cook with a little or just enough water.
Drain out the extra water.
Add sugar or jaggery to the cooked daal and cook on low heat until the mixture becomes thick.
Remove from heat and pass it through a sieve while still hot.
Add grated nutmeg and cardamom powder.
Stir well and remove from heat and keep aside to cool.
Mix the wheat flour, flour, oil and enough water knead into a smooth dough.
Keep it aside for an hour or two.
Divide the gram daal mixture into ping pong sized balls and the flour dough into slightly smaller balls and roll them out a little.
Place the gram daal ball in the centre of the rolled flour dough and close it to cover the filling completely.
Roll out into a chapati and bake on a non stick tawa till done on both sides, adding a little ghee around.
Fry till done.
Serve hot with pure ghee.

SUKHI KOLMI RECIPE
Ingredients:
11/4 lb cleaned and shelled raw Shrimps 2 finely chopped Onion (Pyaj) 1 cup discard stems, washed & chopped Fenugreek Leaves (Methi Ke Patte) 1 tsp Cayenne Powder 2 tsp Coriander Powder (Dhania Powder) 1 tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi) To taste Salt (Namak) 4 Cloves (Lavang) 4 Cardamoms (Elaichi) 10-12 Black Pepper corns (Kalimirchi) 3-4 tblsp Oil
How to make sukhi kolmi:
Clean, wash and drain the shrimps and mix salt, turmeric, chili and coriander powder.
Heat the oil in a kadhai / wok.
Add cloves, cardamoms and peppercorns and stir fry for few seconds.
Add onions and fry till golden, then add shrimps and cook until they turn pink.
Add fenugreek leaves and mix well.
Cook on low heat until the shrimps are done.
The dish should be dry but have a creamy flavour.
Serve hot.

BHARWAN BAINGAN RECIPE
Ingredients:
8 small Egg plant, Brinjal (Biangan) 8 peeled baby Potato (Aloo) 2 large sliced Onion (Pyaj) 2/3rd cup grated Coconut (Nariyal) 4 tblsp unsalted chopped Cashews 8 Cloves (Lavang) 8 Black Pepper corns (Kalimirchi) 1/2 tsp Sugar (Cheeni) To taste Salt (Namak) 1 tsp Cayenne Powder 1 tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi) 1 tsp Tamarind Paste (Imli Pate) 8 tblsp Oil 2 tblsp Coriander seeds (Dhania) 3 tblsp chopped finely Coriander Leaves (Dhania Powder)
How to make bharwan baingan:
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add cloves, coriander seeds and peppercorns.
Saute for a minute..
Now add sliced onions and fry until brown.
Add coconut and stir fry until browned, remove and allow to cool.
Grind the mixture to a paste using blender.
Add little water if needed.
Slit each eggplant lengthwise into four, keeping the stem end intact.
Now in the grinded mixture mix cayenne powder, salt, sugar, tamarind paste, cashews and turmeric powder.
Stuff the eggplants with this mixture, reserving some.
Roll the potatoes in the remaining mixture.
Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add the vegetables.
Cook over low heat without burning, add little water if necessary, until done.
Keep an eye.
Serve hot with roti.